Another New Year’s Resolution ? Don’t be this guy

By Scott Baumann….True story. At a holiday party, and a gentleman I know approaches me after he’s had a few rum and cokes. Here’s the gist…

“Hey man- you’re a trainer right?”

“Uh, well, yes kind of.”

“I need your help man. I’ve got to lose this stomach. (takes his hand from off of my arm, where he had been quickly sizing up my shoulder and tricep development and rubs his somewhat large buddha belly) I’m doing this soup diet. What do you think about that?”

“Soup diet. Hmnnn. What does that consist of?”

“Soup man. All soup. You know, you eat soup for lunch and soup for dinner. I don’t really eat breakfast, I mean not going to have soup for breakfast, haha, and that’s it. I mean, I’m off of it tonight because I’m drinking. (proceeds to stuff another fried cheese product into his mouth and wash it down with another rum and coke). But it works, I’ve lost a couple pounds. I mean I’m in the bathroom all day but I did lose a couple. My stomach is still big though.”

“Well are you exercising at all?”

“Nah, man, you know I just get bored. I’m going to look you up though, after New Year’s.”

“Well, my suggestion would be stop kidding yourself and get serious. You are extremely unhealthy, your stomach fat is a huge indicator of heart and metabolic disease, you will never lose body fat or improve your body composition on the soup diet, you will just continue to lose muscle and water and stay fat. You need to make real changes to your lifestyle and your approach to food, don’t go on another “diet” but eat moderately and not gluttonously, and exercise regularly. You need to exercise consistently and properly to get healthy, to reduce that belly fat and to get your metabolism back up to speed. You are setting yourself up for failure and in three months you will be in much worse shape than you are now, thanks to the soup diet.”

“I wish I could say all of the above, but of course I did not. I am a seasoned professional at listening to people who do not really want to hear the answer to their questions, but they just want someone to placate them. I really do want to help this gentleman, but I’ve heard it all before and I know he is not ready.”

“Ok buddy, well sounds good. Give me a call after New Year and we’ll get you set up. In the meantime, be careful with those types of diets as they can slowdown your metabolism and it would really help if you got back to working out again. Have fun tonight.”

Moral of the story. Don’t be that guy.

Fitness Together Miami is located at 5829 SW 73 St., Suite 2 in South Miami.